Robert Sapolsky in a series of lectures tells us about how there are so many Neuroscientists in the world who do some very interesting work but apparently even the smallest parasites in the world have got more intelligence on how to survive!
Which brings us to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii! This is an amazing parasite in that the amount of planning it does to be active as long as possible is simply mind blowing!
The most common infected animal is usually the common rat!
Now you know how most rats are terrified of cats! You do not need to see the toon Tom and Jerry to know that!
But the issue which Toxoplasma gondii has is that the chief place in which it can reproduce is in the gut of the cat!
So how does Toxoplasma gondii ensure that the rat ends up in the cat’s stomach!?
By losing all fear of the cat!
What is most remarkable is that all rats have this inbuilt fear of light or cat and other fear which they do not have to LEARN! But when a rat is infected with Toxoplasma gondii; it simply stops fearing the cat!
What is more interesting is that the fear is then replaced with an almost obsession of stalker level! The infected rat seeks out a cat! This is like mind control of the HIGHEST or in this case MICROSCOPIC!
Another amazing thing is that the Rat still fears light and other predators! Only the fear of the cat is lost!
It has been suggested that Toxoplasma gondii may infect or change certain very specific areas of the brain like the Hippocampus or Amygdala and changes only those parts which makes the rat run away form the cat!
So if you ever see a Rat in LOVE with a cat and it is not on the TV; RUN!
Also if you suddenly start liking or even loving your enemy; it is good for humanity or maybe it is time for a brain scan!
It’s normal though to like some actors like Kesavan Venugopal, better known by his stage name Nedumudi Venu though! No Tox Gondi there!
Now give rest to your brain!
Shubh ratri…
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